Those Strange Few
by littlewonderlandgirl
Summary: Life for Nightwing and Tigress changes forever when they decide to co-mentor Halo. or A bunch of semi-related one-shots featuring Dick, Artemis, and their strange new family.
1. Living Arrangements

"We cannot just invite a complete stranger to live with us!" Will Harper argued at his longtime teammate and current housemate, Artemis Crock. He stood tall in front of her position seated on the couch, pacing back and forth. "We know nothing about her. Hell, she knows nothing about herself. She could be dangerous."

"She's just a kid," the blonde debated as she crossed her arms across her chest, glaring up at the redhead.

"She's a teenager. And regardless, kids and teens can be dangerous." Will did have a point with that, but Artemis would bet her life on Violet being a good person.

"She's a good kid and needs a place to stay. M'gann and Conner can't do it."Artemis pointed out, standing to meet Will's eyes.

"Why not? They took the other two." The redheaded clone threw back, coming to a stop from his pacing and standing tall in front of his former sister-in-law.

"That's exactly why they can't." She groaned, dragging her hand down her face.

"But, what's one more person?" Will did not seem likely to budge on his opinion, nor his judgment, though Artemis was just as unlikely to back down.

"Conner understands what Brion is going through and can be a huge help to him. M'gann and Forager are like two peas in a pod. But Violet? They can't help her. I can, I just know it." Artemis explained passionately. Will felt bad for what he was going to have to tell her since she felt deeply about the situation. "That and they only have space for Brion in the house. Forager is staying in the Bioship."

"I'm sorry, Artemis, but I just can't risk it. Even if this girl isn't evil, she still has powers that we can't be sure she can control. She could still end up being dangerous, even on accident. I have Lian to think about. She can't stay here." Will's sympathetic tone did not help make Artemis feel any better about his final decision.

**xXx**

"I don't know what to do, Dick. I promised Violet I would look after her and that she could stay with me. Will gave a hard veto and I am just staying in his house. I don't have any authority to counter his no." The blonde archer complained to her oldest friend seated across from her in the diner they had decided to meet up in. With elbows rested on the table, she buried her face in her cupped hands and let out a groan.

"Will has a point, though. You have to admit that." Dick waved a french fry in her face in an attempt to release her from her hand cocoon.

"You're siding with him?" The girl exclaimed, leaning away from the fry and glaring at her companion.

"There are no sides." Dick pacified her quickly, before explaining what he had meant. "Violet needs a civilian identity, a guardian, and a stable home. Trust me, none of that and the state will take her away. And emotionally, she needs a mentor. Someone to teach her and also provide emotional comfort. She wouldn't receive that safety or comfort living with Will. He'd be too cautious of her." Artemis nodded in understanding, stealing a pickle from the plate parallel to her own.

"So, what now? How do I provide any of that? I don't even live alone." The girl munched on her stolen snack, slumped forward in frustration.

"Well, I was thinking of starting with a place to stay. Then move onto the identity bit," stated Dick.

"So, I have to move? I don't know if I'm ready to live alone." Artemis admitted with a sigh, twirling her straw around in the glass.

"You won't be alone," the acrobat pointed out.

"Well, Violet doesn't really count in this scenario." The blonde countered before taking a bite of her sandwich.

"I meant, you'll have me." Dick took a long sip of his drink, giving his friend a pointed look.

"Oh. Wait, what?" Artemis chewed slowly, staring at the dark-haired man in front of her.

"You know how I'm not involved with any of the Leagues anymore." Dick began to explain with a question that was answered with a nod. Artemis had known that. She wasn't involved with the leagues either. They had left together. "Well, Bruce and I had a fight. He knows all my identities and my safe houses. So I was going to start over anyway. You and Violet can just come along for the ride."

"So, you'll be my housemate instead of Will?" Artemis perked up, images of countless sleepovers between the two non-powered heroes flashed in her head. Suddenly, she was excited, her foul mood from earlier all but gone.

"Exactly. Brucely can come live with us and we can train Violet together. It's honestly foolproof." Dick threw several fries in his mouth and leaned back, smiling at his companion.

"Alright, when do we do this?"

**xXx**

"Ugh, how many houses have we seen already?!" Artemis complained, slamming her head on the dashboard while Dick drove, following the real estate agent. The two had been shown house after house and none were right. Some were just downright awful and the archer was more than a little tired.

"Stacey says that this next one meets all our requirements. Just give it a chance and if it isn't right, we'll try again tomorrow-" Artemis gave another flop and groan, turning her head to glare at her companion. "-or another day. Or we'll search online." Dick tried to placate the blonde as he parked. The pair exited the car in sync as their perky, ginger saleswoman bounced up to them.

"Alright, Mister and Missus Lloyd! This last house is definitely the one for you, I'm just sure of it." She gave a million-watt smile as she ushered them up to the house, giving them time to admire it.

Dick and Artemis, or Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd, had agreed earlier that a young married couple buying their first home together would raise fewer flags. So far, it hadn't raised any. The two had practice in pretending to be a couple having done it several times in the past. The most recent being when they met Brion and Violet. It was an act that came naturally to the longtime friends. In fact, they found it fun.

The faux newlyweds laced their fingers together as they took in the house. A lovely two-story traditional home stood tall before them. It had an elegant combination of brick and panel siding. The landscaping was average grass and bushes against the house. A lot of potential for decorating.

Hand in hand, the two followed Stacey up the stone path that led to the house. The woman took the pristine white steps two at a time and unlocked the house with ease. She pushed open the elegant off-white double doors open and stepped inside, using her arms to direct her clients into the building.

The tour ended quickly, however, the house had caught the eyes of both vigilantes and they spent much more time than planned looking around. The foyer opened right into a living area. Arches led to another living room with a fireplace. A door off to the side revealed what could become a cozy study or guestroom. A sliding glass door showed a vast backyard, open to so many ideas. The kitchen was open with an island, double fridge/freezer, good lighting, and an attached dining area that was also its own room. Both the basement and garage were renovated and accessible from the house.

The upstairs was just as nice, if not more. A master bedroom, painted sky blue, with two walk-in closets and a private bathroom with a princess sized tub was the first room viewed. From there was a smaller room, painted red, with a reasonably sized closet. The last two rooms were similar to the last, those were respectively painted lilac and baby pink, shared a connecting bathroom.

All-in-all, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house seemed to be the perfect purchase for the best friends. With no words exchanged between them, they agreed that the place was exactly what they were looking for.

Though, who would get that master bedroom would require more than a non-vocal conversation.


	2. What's in a Name

Moving into their new house was fairly easy, and for Violet, a lot of fun. Everything was new because none of them had too many personal objects. And they certainly didn't have any furniture to bring. So shopping had to be done, furniture had to be put together, Violet had needed a whole wardrobe, decor was needed, and Brucely was just happy to have a big backyard to explore.

Violet chose the lilac painted room with its own bathroom. Excited to have a space of her own, she probably went overboard on wall decor and knick-knacks to decorate. Artemis and Dick didn't have the heart to not let her get what she wanted. Even if none of her choices went with each other. She was happy and having a great time. So the adults were happy.

Dick and Artemis' compromise on who should have the master bedroom was just to share it. A lot of conversing went into the set-up and what they would do with the space. In the end, the two purchased a California king-sized bed to share in the most platonic way possible. Each got their own closet, dresser, and nightstand. One bookshelf filled with memorabilia and photos stood tall on Dick's side of the room. Aside from that, the room was pretty empty of furniture.

The baby pink coloured room, attached to Violet's chosen bedroom via their shared bathroom, became a spare room. A single queen-sized bed was placed in the space and nothing else. Dick and Artemis had a sort of unspoken agreement that the room was where one of them would go when they needed to be alone.

In no time at all(and a lot of physical labour later), the house was set up and it was onto their next task.

**xXx**

"Violet Anne?" Artemis suggested, reading off a list that was way too long to be able to go through in one sitting.

"Too mainstream. How about Violet Marie?" Dick countered, checking his own list. His was not as long, though some names were just obscure.

"How is Marie less mainstream than Anne?" The blonde argued back, crossing both Anne and Marie off her list.

"It just is, Artie!" The younger vigilante balled up a sheet he had doodled on and threw it at the woman.

"I like both names," the subject of the bickering adults' conversation chimed in, attempting to broker peace.

All three housemates sat at their new dining table, paperwork and looseleaf spread between them, as they worked on their new identities. Well, Violet's new identity. Artemis and Dick had become Artie and Ric Lloyd before buying the house. They were simple aliases, yet ones they hadn't used in the past.

"Wait, before we go with a middle name, shouldn't she have a last?" The acrobat suddenly realized.

"We haven't given her a last name yet?" Artemis asked, looking between her housemates with a confused look.

"Uh, no. Got distracted by birthdays and middle names," admitted a sheepish Dick.

"Oh, well, I guess you need a last name, Miss Halo."

"Can't it be Halo? Wait, no. That's my hero name. It's supposed to be a secret. So my other name can't be the same. It has to be something else. I forgot." Violet stammered through several thoughts as they all crossed through her mind. The adult shared a smile at the girl's quirky behaviour.

"Why not Lloyd?" Dick offered up his mother's maiden name. It had been the inspiration behind his own identity, but he had been hesitant to share it with his friend.

"Are you sure?" Artemis did a double-take at the suggestion. They had to work through her own use of the name for hours.

"Yeah, why not. It's already the surname we are using." Dick resolved, throwing his arms up. "Let's just all be Lloyds."

"I'd be honoured." The young girl placed a hand on her chest and gave a smile.

"Violet Lloyd," Artemis spoke the name aloud, testing the sound of it. It rolled off the tongue and flowed nicely. Almost like it was a perfect fit.

"I love it!" The newly dubbed Violet Lloyd cheered, leaning across the table to hug her mentors.

"Now, what about that middle name?"

**xXx**

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Violet ended up with June 28th for her birthday and chose Anne-Marie as her middle name.**


	3. Mundanity

Mornings always seemed to start the same in the recently dubbed Lloyd household. Dick was up first, flitting around the room gracefully, careful not to wake his sleeping roommate. His place in the bed was stolen by Brucely, happy to cuddle up to his mistress for at least a few minutes. A half an hour into his morning routine, Artemis would be shaken awake by a hungry and ready for the world pitbull. She sluggishly completes her morning routine, taking a lot longer to wake up than anyone else in the house.

Before heading downstairs, Dick knocks on Violet's door to make sure she's up and getting ready. She opens the door, bright and happy, fully clothed and prepared for the day ahead of her. The two hop down the stairs with Brucely right behind them and split up at the bottom. The dog out the dog-door into the backyard, Dick to the kitchen to start the coffee maker, and Violet to collect her school things and check to make sure she has everything.

By the time Artemis is downstairs, coffee prepared exactly the way she likes it is waiting on the island for her. Her dog is chewing happily on his breakfast while her dark-haired housemates munch on colourful cereal. She pops bread into the toaster and walks behind Violet, fixing her hijab. It often got disarranged during the teen's morning, but Artemis was always there to fix it.

After placing Brucely in his kennel and locking up the house, the three pile into Dick's silver Prius and drive off. Artemis gets dropped off first at the train station. She works the furthest away and prefers public transportation over wasting gas and struggling to find parking.

Violet is next, getting dropped off at her new high school. She had been wary of going to a different school than her friends at first. She quickly found out that she enjoyed school and still kept in contact with Forager and Brion, so there had been no need to worry.

Dick is the last, driving himself to his workplace alone. He walks into the precinct, greeting everyone, and head to his desk ready for work.

At the end of the day, their carpool is done in reverse.

**xXx**

Dinner tends to be made by Artemis after she banned the other two from ever cooking. Dick helps out by setting the table around Violet, who works on her homework and chats about her day. The three eat together and afterwards, the dark-haired heroes take everything to the kitchen and wash the dishes. The blonde uses that time to walk Brucely around the block.

By nine o'clock, homework is done, the dog is walked, dishes are cleaned and put away, and everyone is ready for the night. On school nights, Violet's training is kept simple. Less vigorous than Dick and Artemis' had been when they were teens, but also easier to keep up with every other aspect of life. Weekends tend to have harder training sessions and Halo even gets to go out on patrol. No patrol for the teen hero if she has school in the morning, though.

Nightwing and Tigress, however, patrol their city six days a week. Sunday is family day. Bludhaven had been suspicious of the second vigilante, and later third, in their city, but soon came around to the new team. The two worked well together and more crime was stopped every night, so no complaints were made.

The two were back home by one in the morning, leaving their suits in the garage-turned-secret base. Violet was already asleep by that time, her curfew being eleven on school nights. After showers, first aid, and reports, Dick and Artemis were more than ready for bed.

Comfy in pyjamas, the exhausted heroes collapse in their bed around three. Ready to start the whole process again in four hours.


	4. Closets are for Clothes

**Coming out can be a difficult experience, even if you have a loving and open family. It is nerve-racking and all-around hard. I've never known it to be as easy as shown in Young Justice. I wish they showed Violet's struggle with understanding themselves and whatnot before coming out. **

**Props to anyone who ever came out. Love you all. xo**

**xXx**

Violet wasn't exactly sure when it became an issue. Perhaps constantly being called 'miss' in school had caused it. Or 'little girl' when being mocked by bad guys. That sure was annoying, but that wasn't when it started. All those occurrences had definitely added to it. The root, however, began with a simple comment by Artemis.

**xXx**

"Woot! In your face losers!" Artemis jumped up, pointing at Dick and Brion with terrifying enthusiasm. The older boy rolled his eyes and slouched backwards in defeat. The younger glared at the blonde in annoyance but smiled when he caught Violet's eye.

"You know, boasting is never attractive," informed Dick as Artemis started a victory dance. It just looked like the chicken dance, if the chicken was being electrocuted.

"Neither is being a sore loser," the blonde snarked back. The two adults stuck their tongues out at each other while they cleared the board.

Brion had come over to spend time with Violet since the two were just beginning a relationship. Somehow, a study session in the dining room turned into a game night. Brion took to the games like a house on fire, apparently never having played any before. When a game that required teams came up, Violet had expected to pair with their boyfriend. Artemis thought it better, and funnier, if they were on opposite sides. The teen agreed, so long as the new couple got to partner up in the next round. Dick and Brion did not click in the same way Artemis and Violet did, so theirs was an easy victory.

"Team female for the win!" Artemis cheered going in for a high five which she received. That didn't stop Violet's mind from spinning, latched onto one word.

'female'

**xXx**

From then on, Violet was hyper-aware of everyone's perception of their gender. The teen was aware of how they looked and what their name was, but it just didn't seem right to be called a girl. Even being referred to as 'she' made Violet feel all kinds of wrong. They had to say something, but just thinking about doing it was nerve-wracking. Still, it had to be done.

"Alright, girlie, time for training. Your homework better be done, you know the rules." Dick reminded Violet as he cleared the table. The teen blinked a couple of times before standing abruptly.

"That isn't right," they groaned, gaining both of the adults' attention.

"What isn't right? Your homework or having to do it?" Dick quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"Neither. It's not my homework. It's 'girlie'." Violet whispered, putting air quotes around the offending word. "I don't like being called it. Or 'miss'. I don't want to be referred to as a female at all!" The young vigilante cried out, running out of the dining room.

Dick and Artemis shared a look, seemingly having a conversation with only their eyes. They nodded at each other and made their way upstairs together. They came to a stop outside Violet's room and gave a knock before entering.

"I didn't say you could come in," mumbled the room's occupant, face buried in a pillow.

"What did you mean by not wanting to be referred to as female?" Dick asked as he ignored the subtle implication of wanting to be alone, sitting on the edge of the teen's bed.

"I just don't like it. It doesn't feel right." Violet poked their head up from the pillow and rotated to face the man. "I know how I look, sound, and dress. It's all feminine. But I just don't feel like a girl."

"Do you feel like a boy, then?" Artemis questioned as she came to sit next to her co-parent.

"No. I don't feel like a boy or a girl. Is there something wrong with me? Am I broken?" The young hero cracked over the last word, eyes watering in frustration.

"No! Never. It is perfectly fine to be a boy, a girl, neither, or both." Dick rested a hand on Violet's shoulder as the latter sat up properly.

"Who you are, or what you are, is always going to be okay," Artemis agreed.

"So it's okay that I'm not male or female? Because I really don't want to be and I've done some research. I think non-binary is how I feel." Violet admitted, maneuvering their body to sit in between their guardians.

"That's more than okay." The blonde smiled at Violet, wrapping an arm around the teen's shoulders.

"We support you no matter what. I'm glad you are discovering who you are."

"I was so nervous," Violet whisper revealed.

"I understand. Coming out is scary. If it will help you feel more at ease, I'll come out too." Dick took a deep breath as two pairs of eyes fell on him. "I'm bisexual."

"Really?" Violet looked at him, eyes wide.

"Yeah, I probably should've come out years ago, but nerves got in the way. You are a lot braver than me, kid." The young man admitted, giving his ward's shoulder a friendly squeeze.

"Well, damn. Now I feel left out." Artemis grumbled, crossing her arms with a huff. "You know what, screw it. I'm coming out too. Artemis Lian Crock is asexual."

"You feel better?" Dick asked, smiling toothily at her.

"Much. You?" Artemis agreed.

"Absolutely. Violet?"

"Oh, most definitely." Violet nodded rapidly, getting pulled into a strange hug by the two adults.

"Great. I'm glad we got that off our chests," sighed Artemis, head resting on the teen's shoulder.

"Now, can we go train?" Violet asked, squished between their guardians. They looked down at the teen and laughed.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go."


	5. Shovel Talk

Brion sat on the pale green sofa staring at the adults before him. He had received a text from Violet inviting him over for a study session. He had been happy to agree and arrived via zeta as soon as school let out. Imagine his surprise when instead of his girlfriend, he was greeted by Dick and Artemis with no Violet in sight. Violet was at an after school event and didn't even send the text. It had been the adults who invited him over and he had a feeling this wasn't going to be fun.

"I'm sure you are wondering why we asked you to come." Dick started, taking a seat on the armchair across the way.

"Um, yes. I thought Violet would be here." Confusion laced the teen's voice as he glanced between the adults.

"Violet is at school right now," Artemis explained, sitting on the armrest of the chair her co-parent occupied.

"I see. So, why am I here?" Brion asked, fidgeting nervously.

"Well, this is actually about Violet," explained Dick, his voice adopting a calming tone.

"What about Violet?" The young royal had a few questions and he wasn't getting the answers he wanted.

"Well, we know that you are together. Romantically." The blonde revealed, placing a hand lightly on the shoulder of her faux-spouse.

"Yes, we've been dating for nearly two months now." Brion smiled softly, thinking about his first love; the reason he was in the current situation.

"I'm aware." Dick narrowed his eyes, glancing at the woman to his left.

"Are you aware this is Violet's first-ever relationship?" Artemis continued were her partner left off. They seemed to flow together as if their brains shared the conversation.

"I figured it was," the prince admitted.

"Good, then let's just set some ground rules." Dick sounded as though this conversation was a business meeting and an interrogation at the same time, all while being neither.

"Ground rules?" The meta teen raised an eyebrow at the two.

"Yes. Violet is our responsibility and more than that, we care about Violet," explained Artemis.

"I would never do anything to hurt Violet," Brion swore, sounding more serious than ever.

"That's good, remember that promise." The older male practically demanded. The younger wanted to be amazed at the man's ability to be the nicest person he'd ever met while also making him feel like death would be just around to corner if he stepped out of line. Dick was a strange one and Brion still wasn't convinced the twenty-year-old didn't have any powers.

"But still, rules." Artemis reminded as if the other could forget the reason they were all there.

"No closed doors. You shouldn't be in Violet's room to begin with, but if for some reason you are, the door must remain open." Dick seemed very adamant about that particular rule, probably why it went first.

"Violet's curfew is eleven pm. If the two of you are out, make sure to be here before then." The long-haired blonde pointed to the clock to make her point.

"Never ever cheat on Violet. We will find out and we will make your life a living hell." Dick lowered his voice in a threatening manner. Brion suddenly had the feeling that if he ever made Violet cry, the man would make him cry.

"Keep the PDA under control in the house."

"And in general," Dick added quickly. Artemis sent him a knowing smirk and rolled her eyes.

"Basically, respect and keep Violet safe. That is the most important part of all this." The blonde concluded, placing a hand on Brion's shoulder.

"I understand, and I agree to adhere to those rules." The teen agreed quickly for two reasons. One, they were fair and a lot nicer than any rules he would give to the poor boy who may date his little sister in the future. Two, he felt that if he didn't agree, Dick would make his life very difficult and he did not want that.

"Good. Now, I'm going to go pick Violet up from school. You are welcome to stay for dinner." Dick announced, leaving the room to collect his jacket and keys.

With the older male gone, Brion was left alone with Artemis and the look on her face told him that what he heard earlier were just Dick's rules. He suddenly had a very bad feeling and swallowed hard.

Great.

**xXx**

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**I am taking prompts and requests for this story. Please review or PM me.**


	6. Homecoming

_The bus drove in silence, carrying two passengers in the dark of night. The driver glanced back at the tall figure sitting in the far back, hood up and head down. A baby swaddled up nice and snug, hidden from the artificial lights, rested protectively in the arms of the mysterious man. Or woman. But posture and clothes suggested the passenger was male. _

_The man in question, actually a mere boy, hugged the infant close to his chest as he watched buildings, cars, and lampposts pass outside the vehicle. He shifted in discomforted causing the baby made a whine of a noise, not quite waking up but hinting that they would soon. It was quickly pressed tighter against the chest to provide warmth and comfort to prevent waking up. Whispers of comfort were given as an extra aid._

_The driver pulled up to the stop, ready to rid herself of the stragglers and retire for the night; heading home to rest before starting the whole process over in the morning. She watched with curious eyes as the boy rose, shifting the bundled babe to be held in one arm and using the other to gather a single duffle bag. He handed her a few crumpled up bills with a quiet 'thank you' and exited the bus, disappearing into the dead of night._

_The bus stop was a decent distance from his destination, so the figure adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder, held the sleeping baby against his chest, and began walking. The air was cool, but still, not even a slight breeze could be felt. No sound could be heard, save for the bus driving away. _

_Several miles away from where he was let off, the figure came to a stop in front of a house. He glanced down at the journey worn paper in his hands and matched the address written to the building in front of him. It was nice to look at. A good, traditional, two-story family home with brick and siding and beautiful landscaping. He followed a stone path, up some stairs, and stared at the double doors in front of him. A doorbell of to the side caught his eye. He took a deep breath and reached over to press it._

**xXx**

The sun was setting outside, painting a very lovely picture for Violet who gazed outside the window from within the kitchen. Moving around them, Artemis placed the finishing touches on the dinner dishes she had made. She gave a nudge to the daydreaming teenager and handed them three glasses. The teen took them and walked over to the table to place them next to the dishes Dick had just finished setting. He gave a smile and leaned down to pet the grey and white pitbull walking between his legs. The whole thing was extremely domestic, yet comforting to all members.

"Is the table all set?" The long-haired blonde called out the question from where she stood by the food.

"All set and ready to go," the blue-eyed man replied with a smile. Violet moved back into the kitchen, opening the fridge and peering in.

"What do you guys want to drink?" They asked, gazing at the various beverages to choose from. It had been orange juice that morning with breakfast, so they were hoping for some soda with the meal this time.

"Coke is fine," Artemis suggested.

"Cherry Coke, though," Dick added in. It was no secret that he thought plain coke was boring, so it had to be cherry or nothing.

"Of course," the young hero rolled their eyes and reached for the two-litre of the chosen drink. They brought it to the dining table, where they poured the soda into the three glasses.

All three sat down in their usual seats. There wasn't assigned seating but after the first week, they all just seemed to sit in the same places every time.

"Did you do your homework already, or are you doing it after dinner?" Dick asked, the question directed to Violet, as they all served themselves casserole, veggies, and rolls.

"I did most of it when I came home, but I am having difficulty with my math. It is a lot harder to grasp than the other subjects." Violet forked dinner in their mouth, chewing carefully before they let themselves respond.

"Oh, well Dick can help you there. He used to be a mathlete." Artemis laughed, nudging the dark-haired man. He flashed a smile at her and nodded.

"Yeah, I was pretty good. I can give you a hand if you'd like," Dick offered, passing the salt to his old friend.

"I would, thank you." Violet agreed to the offer of assistance as they snuck a piece of chicken underneath the table to Brucely, who was waiting patiently for any scraps.

"And if you ever need help with an essay or English in general, Artemis is your girl." The suggestion was given through a mouthful of food. No matter how hard Alfred tried, Dick was still estranged from table manners.

"I shall keep that in mind."

The conversation stayed casual, went on throughout dinner. Back and forth between the three, they were relaxed; both with each other and whatever they discussed. It was all almost normal at this point, which in itself was a little weird.

Before anyone knew, supper was over and Dick was clearing away the dishes, heading to the kitchen. Violet jumped out of their seat to run after him, yelling "I want to help!".

Artemis gave a soft chuckle at her housemates and cleaned the table free of food debris. She went to grab her teenage ward's school bag and placed it on the now food-free surface. All ready for the two dark-haired dishwashers to finish and return.

**xXx**

By ten in the evening, the sun was long gone and all the homework has been completed. Like any other school night, Violet was to be in bed at eleven, eleven-thirty at the latest, so they spent the hour before bed in front of the tv. Dick and Artemis, mostly Dick though, had created a list of movies and shows that just 'had' to be seen. Since the teen was pretty much new to everything, they enjoyed the two adults trying to introduce them to everything they liked. Today was Spongebob. Tomorrow would be Archie comics, loaned to the teen by the blonde archer who, surprisingly, was really into comics. Violet was trying a little of everything just to find what they liked. So far, everything was interesting, but nothing really stuck.

Artemis and Dick were working, since both tended to bring their work back with them. Being a lawyer and detective, their cases always seemed to find their way home. The blonde was hyper-focused on the documents in front of her. The raven-haired man was a little less focused, glancing up from his file to watch the cartoons' antics on the screen. Spongebob was probably more interesting than whatever homicide he was working on this week.

When eleven o'clock rolled around, Violet turned off the television without a complaint. The young hero was probably the most well-behaved teenager on the planet. Well, at the least, they were the most well-behaved teenager Dick and Artemis ever knew. Violet bid them a 'goodnight' and gave Brucely a head rub before walking upstairs. Both adults fought the urge to remind the teen to brush their teeth, knowing they would remember on their own.

A half an hour of silence later, the two left in the living room put away their work ready to go out as Tigress and Nightwing for a patrol. Their plan was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

"Now who could that be at this hour?" Artemis wondered aloud as Dick made his way through the house to the front door. She followed behind swiftly, reaching him just as he opened the door to a figure whose face she couldn't make out.

"Hey Goldie," the late-night guest greeted, removing his hood. Both vigilantes froze in shock as they immediately placed the face of their visitor.

"Jason?" Dick whispered, blue eyes wide in disbelief and hope.

"I am so confused right now. Did you fake your death or something?" Artemis ran a hand through her hair and scrunching her face up in confusion, a habit she's had since her youth. "And is that a baby?!"

"I'll explain everything I know, I promise. Just, can I, can I come in?" So-called-Jason, Artemis wasn't convinced and Dick was just shocked silent, was allowed in and ushered to the dining room. He sat down and uncovered the baby's face. The boy took a deep breath before explaining everything he could.

**xXx**

Jason took a long sip of water from the glass he was given halfway through talking as Dick and Artemis just stared at him silently, processing everything he just said. There had been so much to explain. From waking up after dying, to being trained, to remembering. The League of Shadows were involved, which meant Talia was involved. That always meant trouble for Bruce and by proxy, Dick.

"So, you stole a baby from the leader of the Shadows, ran away, and what, you need our help?" Artemis was the first to break the silence. Her hesitance to trust people easily made her a little skeptical of the whole situation. "How do we know you aren't still working for the Shadows and are going to infiltrate and destroy us? And how did you find us?" That was the most important question. Nobody but Conner, M'gann, and Roy knew the location of Dick, Artemis, and Violet, and they were trying to keep it that way.

"I'm not still working for them. I would never willingly work for them in the first place, but my memory had been gone. As soon as I got it back, I worked hard to find you, Dick. I didn't want to go to Bruce for personal reasons, so I searched for you. My brother. Once I found you, which was very difficult by the way. Your house, car, and job are all under a fake name, which I will ask about later. I won't tell you how I found you, but I did delete everything that could possibly lead anyone to you. I swear. And, technically I did steal a baby, but it was for the best! You can't even begin to believe all the horrible plans in store for little Damian. Talia was planning on turning him into a killing machine. As soon as he can walk and hold a weapon! I knew when I was leaving that I had to take him with me. I couldn't just leave him there in that horrible place. It would be-"

Jason was cut off by Dick grabbing the boy and pulling him into a tight hug. The teen tensed for a slight moment before hugging back just as tight. Snug in the arms of his older brother, whom he had missed terribly, Jason felt tears fall from his eyes. Dick's own eyes started watering, and before Artemis knew it, the two dark-haired boys were sobbing in each other's arms. One happy to be home, and the other happy to have him home. She looked up to the ceiling in order to prevent herself from joining in and crying her heart out with the boys. She didn't get spared when the shorter of the brothers reached out and pulled her into the embrace.

Both adults had been close to Jason. Dick had latched onto the idea of being a big brother so quickly, it had been almost intimidating. Artemis had had a lot in common with the new Robin and became a sort of teen mentor, friend, and confidant to the boy, almost a sister. When he died, both had been absolutely devastated at the loss. Especially since he had been killed at the tender age of fourteen.

The baby, Damian, had been placed on the table still all swaddled up, seemed to sense the distress of his rescuer and began crying himself. The three removed themselves from each other and covered their ears to block out the wailing. Eyes all red, Jason looked between the adults;

"Do either of you know how to take care of a baby?"

**xXx**

**Taking prompts/requests for this story. Also, how would you guys feel about adding Rose Wilson to the group?**


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